baumeister



June 14, 1938. F. '.J. BAUMEISTER Re- 20,756

SIGN

Original Filed March 6, 1933 vgfwg wgm El FQ' j vVENz-Uf l fm (5a@ fw Renued June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcr.4

SIGN

nois

Original No. 1,951,467, dated MarchZl), 1934, Se-

rial No. 659,809, March 6, 1933. Application for reissue November 6, 1937, Serial No. 173,255

A 12 laims. (ci. 4o141) y will be apparent from the following detailed de- This invention relates to improvements in illuminate-xi signs, having for its object to provide anfimproved construction of sign of this type adapted for twenty-four hour service, particularly along highways, Othat is to say, a sign which will be illuminated during the day by the `reflection of the daylight and during the night by theA light emitted from the headlights of approaching motor vehicles or the like.

I am fully aware that various devices of this type have been heretofore employed, but these devices fail to accomplish effectively their purpose. One diiculty is the formation of moisture and frost upon the reective surface or mirror in cold weather, which prevents the refiection of 'light illuminating the characters and renders the sign useless. Another difficulty is their inability to reflect the light rays so as to produce a sharply dened outline about the characters or a sharp contrast of illumination between the characters andthe background.

An object of the invention is to provide a sign of exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction, which prevents the moisture or frost forming-upon the mirror or reflective surface, and very effectively reflects the light, both at night and at day, to sharply define theA characters and to prevent diiusion of the reflected light with the background.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sign of this type having the characters individually formed and mounted upon the background, thereby giving a very pronounced individuality to each characterand very novelly accentuating its outline so that the sign as a whole will be very effective during' the day even though not illuminated by direct rays. On the other hand, this individual formation and mounting of the characters allows the ,use of a construction preventing the deposit of'v moisture upon the mirrc,\r,viz.,"th`e'usev of an hermetical `sellll @simple and practical mannerlaboutfeach character" to prevent admission of ,moisture and a'. lconsequent. forruitionA `of frost rendering thesigniine'il'ectivel" A 'furtherfobfvject of thelirivention is tprovivde" l"a signof simplefand ine:tp'er`t`siv`e`construction#` andy of lsuch attractiveness fastofproduce exceptional results.-

' A; stili further objectof thefinventonis to pro-"1 vide" means* forv producingI `eife'cti\ f`eil reection'pf' light rays both during the-day and nightVso-'asf sharply to idein'e v thecharacters "ordisplay agaf''t'the background-whereby these charactersf' ofrV d'ispiayfm'ar *bfeidlstin'ctly "nienv ia l af distance,fi.'l if invention?" scription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevation o f. a sign embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the characters to illustrate the manner of mounting thesame to the backing;

Figs. 3 and 3a are perspective views of the backing nand a character to further illustrate the mounting of the character to the backing; and

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a. modified structure.

As il'lustrated in Fig. 1, ,a sign embodying my invention may be mounted adjacent a highway` so that the light reiiected from the headlights of approaching vehicles'will illuminate the sign and provide a very effective and attractive display. This sign is also constructed'for use during the day, the light rays striking the display in like manner so that there will be provided an effective and attractive display.

It will, however, be understood that the sign may be used for different purposes, and accordingly, its use is not limited to highways. Likewise, it will be denitely understood that the sign maybe used in a. variety of places andi'or. indicating a variety of effects. To illustrate, I have found that the sign may be,employed solely for illuminating purposes at public exhibitions or fairs where maximum illumination with minimum lighting expense is desirable, say ,for illuminating exterior or interior walls of buildings. The sign may be used for this purpose and accomplish astonishing results due to its remarkable light reflective properties. It will be seen, therefore, that it is not necessary to use the structure disclosed as a sign in the ordinary meaning of the ferent purposes;

val to` he, present'jininntion,l but ,veryv the H1/sean@ 'er www afconnection with'the of thefj':haratters, v symbols? decorated dSiEnS 'or other l"like indicia that may be individuali-y mountedffupon backing- These character light-pervious material having a light diffusing surface 4 on one side and a mirror or light reflecting surface 5 on the other. Various forms of glass, such as moss, cathedral or chipped glass, may be used. It is desirable that the mirror or light reflecting surface 5 be in optical contact with the glass which may be accomplished by applying the material forming the light reflecting surface, say a coating of silver, mirrored glass, or the like, directly to the glass character. I find that excellent results are obtained when the mirf ror or reflecting surface 5 is in optical contact with the glass forming the characters, symbols, or indicia employed, and when` applied to the side opposite to the light diffusing surface I. Each character`3 is cemented to backing 2 at and about its periphery as indicated at l.

therefore will not necessarily require this waterproofing treatment. The front face of backing 2 may then be stained or otherwise treated or provided with a non-reflective surface 9.

Afeature of the present invention resides in outlining characters 3, in marginal relation, with a light reflective band or narrow strip I 2-com prising a portion of material III. The material III is preferablyy of light-reflective characterfor example, a light colored paint as distinguished from the mirror-reflective silver deposit 5. Thus,

the material lll has a reflective characteristic` different from that of. the characters 3. The lightreflective material III reflects light only where it is exposed, that is, only along the border I2. Consequently the exposed surface of the material I provides very definite outlines for the characters 3, butA these light-reflective outlines themselves contrast with the non-reflective background 9. In a sense, the outlines constitute y marginal buffer areas between the dark fbackground 9 and the glare of light reected by the mirror-like characters 3. 'This prevents any diffusion of the reected light rays or merging of the letters with the background, such as heretofore found in devices of the prior art. 'I find that material III very aptly confines rthe reflected light within the distinguishing contours 1 of the character, that is, the 'light which is reflected outwardly to illuminate the display. Ma-

' teria] III seems to accentuate and to cause the characters 3 to stand out in bold e'ect, making the same very easily seen and very attractive at a distance. 'I'his phenomenon of increased visibility is discussed in greater detail toward the end of this specification.

On the other hand, I find that if material Il is applied over the entire area covered by each character, a smooth surface may be provided, which, cooperating with cement 1, furnishes a very effective hermetlcal seal. Furthermore, this smooth surface tends to permit the retention of a negative pressure or vacuumbetween the char acters and the backing, which increases the gripping effect and prevents admission of moisture to light reflective surface or material 5.

Material I0 may be any suitable light paint applied to the stained surface 3,101' it may be porcelain or other material suitable for the purpose attached to backing 2. If the paint or other suitable material does not provide the required smooth surface, the backing 2 may be varnished, which also tends to preserve the stain or the nonreilective surface 9. Fig. 3 illustrates the manner` in which material -I II may be applied to backing 2 to allow a suiiicient marginal border or band l2 about each character. Cement I is preferably applied to the outer margin or beveled surface 8 of each character before the character is placed upon material III, but this cement 'I may also be appliedv directly to material II)` before the characters 3 are placed in position. Pressing the characters tightly against material IIl with the mirror or light-reflecting surface in position tends to displace all air beneath the character, so that, when cement I dries, a vacuum exists, which, as previously stated, increases the gripping effect and excludes moisture from coming into contact with mirror 5. f

It will be apparent that the construction of each lcharacter and the manner of securing the same to backing 2 may be varied considerably without departing from the scope of the inven-` tion.

I find that material I0 may be omitted and that a sufcient marginal border or band I2 may be formed about each character or symbol by the cement 1, this being obtained, as shown in Fig. 4, by extending the cement 1 beyond the-edge of the character or symbol. It will be readily noted that the cement 1 will perform the same purpose as material I0although it may not extend, all round, uniformly from the edges of the characters or symbols. Likewise it seems to ac centuate and cause the characters or symbols'3 to stand out in bold eii'ect, making the same very easily seen and very attractive at a distance. This feature of a reflective margin or border I2 may be omitted when other features of the invention are employed. v

From the foregoing description, it is obvious that the sign herein described may be used for day and night service and that it will effectively reflect the light and thus provide a brilliant and lattractive display. Surrounding the characters 3 with light reective margin I2 very effectively permits the use of. the sign during the day and night, causing the lettering to stand out very prominently and preventing the reflected light `from being diffused with the background. -Mounting each character individually tends novelly to accentuate the outline thereof so as to make the sign as a whole a very effective display.

` Individually mounting the characters, while not essential to the invention, also allows the use of a simple and expedient construction, preventing the moisture from entering beneath the characters and from destroying the reectivity of the mirror. The characters may be in script, or otherwise in one word', or in a unit symbol when vemploying certain features of the 'invntiom say the difllculties in devices heretofore provided.

I also find that the sign may be used continuously throughout the year Without evidencing any deposit or moisture or frost on the .light reflecting surface 5. This advantageous result of continuous use throughout the year and under varying weather conditions without moisture or frost forming upon the light reflecting surface 5 is obtained by the novel arrangement of this surface 5 in optical contact with the glass ilgure and hermetically sealed to exclude moisture. Consequently, temperature changes will not result in condensation, formation of frost, or other effects destructive to or hampering the light reflective qualities thereof. y

It will be clearly understood that I particularly direct my invention to a light reflective` surface 5 in optical contact with the glass character or symbol 3 capable of reflecting light cast thereon so as to be usable at all times, and particularly at the time the light is cast thereon, as distinguished from characters having luminous paint which absorbs light only while it is cast thereon and is reflected at a later time, thus making the sign noticeable only at night for a brief period. Employing the novel form of mirror 5 capable of effectively reflecting the light as it is cast thereon,

'renders the sign usable at all times, and particularly during the time it is illuminated and intended to be most effective as a source o-f attraction. By the term sign, as used herein, I refer to vany structure, whether decorative or not, which may or may not have lettering, designs, characters or symbols thereon, but which will embody the principle of construction shown and described herein. l

I find that remarkable results will be obtained when the characters 3 are constructed with their front surface 4 capable of diffusing the light reflected from the rear surface havingthe mirror 5 in optical contact therewith. y

By my design oi' sign, I may achieve a peculiar `optimum of visibility 4for both day and night,

l character B-the` glass portion-of each letter with a less reflective portion-the outlining band I2 of lightpaint.

To explain this feature further consider the letter C, as an example. Daytime visibility results from a contrast between the letter C (comprising the mirror reflective character 3 and its light painted outlining bands I2) and the dark background 2. For best daytime visibility from a distance, there must be a certain relation between the width of the arcuate line forming the letter C and the height of the letter, as is well known to sign painters and typographers. Assume that the width of the arcuate line as shown, includ'- ing its light ,painted outlining band I2, affords approximately that optimum relationship as seen in .daylight upony the dark backing 2. If the full width of the line were of the mirror reflective glass (instead of only the central region between the marginal outlining bands I2 of light paint), the letter would suffer greatly in identifying visibility when seen at night,

'This is especially true when the sign is seen by the occupants of an oncoming automobile, the headlights of which illuminate the sign. `Despite the light diiusing characteristic of the surface 4, which the light rays traverse inpassing to, and

reflecting from, the mirror surface 5, the mirror surface does, nevertheless, reflect more or less straight back to the automobile a large proportion "of the intense light of the headlights falling upon the area of the glass portion of the letter.v To the occupants, this reflected light of the directed headlight beams is many times more .intense, in contrast with the dark background, than is the reflected undirected and general daylight during the day. y In fact, it is so intense that, like a.' star seen with the naked eye, it seems to shed a brilliant corona. 'I'his brilliant corona hasthe effect of optically magnifying the Width of the arcuate line of the C.

If the full width of the arcuate line of the C were of mirror reflective glass, it would be diflicult-if not impossible-for the occupants to tell whether the letter was C, O, Q, G or D. That is because the width of the arcuate line as Well as its length would be out of proper relation to the height of the letter for good visibility. Also these brilliant coronas would make neighboring letters seem to overrun or blur together, further confusing the occupants. (Similar reading diiliculties are often observed in electric signs which are overbrilliant and where the characters are not sufficiently open; in such signs the letters seem blurred and overrun.)

I avoid the ill effects of this brilliant corona phenomena by not making the full area -of my daytime letter mirror reflective. I make the mirror reflective portion considerably narrower and complete the daytime width by the marginal outlining bands I2 of light paint. The brilliant corona 4then falls within, and-more or less fills the area of, the marginal outlining bands l2. To the 'eyes of the occupants, the same relation of line width to height-and hence the same optimum of character distinguishing visibility-is realized at night as during the day.

The light reflective bands l2 are within the daytime line widths of the letters, and form marginal outlines for the mirror'reilective characters 3, upon the non-reflective backing 2. The bands I2 thus narrow the nighttime illuminatedwidth of the letters. The optical eil'ect is to cause the illumination of each mirror reflective character 3 at night to contrast, with character distinguishing sharpness and visibility, with the non-reflective backing and with neighboring characters.

Although in daytime use the reflected light from the mirror reflective characters 3 give little, if any, corona effect, they do give brilliance to the letters, making them stand out much more than would light paint, while the light reflective outlining lbands I2 extend the daytime width of the component lines of the letters to lgive the letters optimum daytime visibility.v K The exclusion of any substantial air pressure between the characters 3 and the backing 2 utilizesatmospheric pressure to aid the cohering effect of the cement in holding the characters in place upon the backing. This isrtrue even though the vacuum does not consistof a void or subatmospheric space between the characters and backing. The action of the vacuum then is akin to that between two contacting smooth and plane surfaces of Swedish measuring blocks, for example.

Without further elaboratiomthe foregoing will soffully explain the gist of my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adopt the same for useunder varying conditions of service, without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said to constitute the, essential vitems of novelty involved, which items are intended to be dened and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim;

l. A sign of the type disclosed consisting of a backing having a relatively non-reilective surface, light reflective characters on said backing, means for providing a relatively smooth surface upon said backing upon which said characters are mounted, said means being light reective and forming a marginal outline .about said characters whereby the illumination of each character will sharply contrast with the non-reilective surface of said backing and with the illumination of the other characters, .and means forming a hermetical seal between said characters and said relatively smooth surface to prevent the admission of moisture beneath said characters.

2. Asign of the type disclosed consisting vof a non-reflective backing, light ,reflective characters mounted upon said backing, a mirror between each character and said backing,and light reflective means forming a marginal outline of said characters upon said non-reective backing whereby the illumination of each character will contrast with the non-reflective backing and with the illumination of the other characters.

3. A sign of the type disclosed consisting of a backingtreated to be impervious to moisture, a coating applied to said backing to preserve said treatment and to provide a relatively smooth surface at least on one side, light reective outlines upon said backing characterizing the designation of individpal characters, corresponding character members superimposed upon the backing and outlined by said outlines, and hermetical sealing means for said character members to prevent the admission of moisture beneath said character members.

4. A sign of the type herein disclosed consisting of one or more light-reflective characters of light pervious material having a light diffusing surface and means for reflecting the light through the characters, a backing for said characters, and means formounting said characters upon said backing with said light reflective means in hermetically sealed relation between said characters and said back-ing and with the air excludedtoeffect a vacuum therebetween whereby to increase the gripping action of said characters andprevent the admission of moisture to said light renecuve means.`

5. A sign of the type herein disclosed consisting of one or more light reflective characters of light pervious material having a light dill'using surface and a mirror in optical contact with the opposed surface for reflecting the light, a backing for said characters, said mirror being disposed between said characters and said backing, and cementitious material between said backing and the edges of said characters to provide a hermetical seal therebetween to` prevent the admission ofF moisture to said Ymirror, the air being excluded to effect a vacuum whereby to increase the gripping action holding said characters upon said backing. ,Y

6. A sign of theY type disclosed consisting of a backing relatively impervious to moisture, planar baclzied light reective characters of light pervious material on said backing, mirrors for said characters at the planar backs thereof,y means for providing a relatively smooth planar surface upon said backing upon which said characters are mounted with their planar backs thereagainst, and a material for securing said characters upon said backing and cooperating with nsaid rst means to hermetically seal the surface edges of said characters adjacent said backing and to protect'said mirrors from contact with the air and moisture.

A sign ofthe type disclosed consisting of a backing or base member, light reflective char-5 acters of light pervious material individually mounted upon said backing, said characters having an outer light diiusing surface, a mirror in optical contact with the inner surface of each character and lying against the backing, and means for hermetically sealing said mirror'to prevent moisture from contacting therewith.

8. A sign of the type disclosed consisting of a backing or base member, light reflective characters of light-pervious material individually mounted upon said backing, said characters haved, the characters having smooth iiat mirrored back surfaces and being mirror reflective, said means being light reilective but less so than the characters and forming a marginal outline about each said character whereby the illumination of each character will sharply contrast with the non-reflective surface of said backing and with the illumination of the other characters, and means forming a hermetical seal between said characters and said relatively smooth surface to prevent the admission of moisture beneath said characters.

10. A sign of the type disclosed consisting of a non-reflective backing, light reiiective characters of sheet glass mounted upon said backing parallel therewith, a mirror between each character and said backing, the glass of the character having a smooth back-surface carrying said mirror as a deposit thereon and a light diffusing front surface, and light reective means, much less light reflective than the character, forming a marginal outline of said characters upon said non-reflective backing whereby the illumination of each character will contrast lwith the non-reflective backing and with the illumination of the other characters.

11. A sign of the type disclosed consisting of a non-reflective backing, light reective characters of sheet glass mounted upon said backing parallel therewith, amirror between each-character and said backing, the glass of the character having a smooth back surface carrying said mirror as a deposit thereon and a light-diffusing front surface, and paint-like light reflective means, much less light reective than the characters, forming a marginal outline of said characters upon said nona-renective backing whereby the illumination of each character will contrast `with the non-reflective backing and with the illumination of the other characters.

` `12. A signo! the type disclosed comprising a backing having a smooth, flat, relatively non-re,-

iiecting surface forming ay background iield,` inldividual` flat planar light-pervious characters formed of sheet; glass having planar back surfaces and light diiIusing-front surfaces, a kmirror carried as' a coating on the back surfaces of the characters, and means for individually mounting the characters superposed upon the backing with their back surfaces parallel with and substantially against the said background surface of the backing, said mounting means including a hermetical seal otthe' mirror to the surface of the backing to prevent moisture from contacting the mirror.

v FITCH J. BAUMEISTER. 

